Fertility/pregnancy

HOW to take PEP PEP, Kaletra and contraception
The treatment consists of two tablets called
Birth control pills or other hormone drugs (e.g. depot
injection, patches etc) used to stop you becoming
pregnant may not work effectively if you are taking
ONE tablet ONCE a day, with food for 28 days
In general, a barrier method of contraception should
be used during the course of PEP and for THREE
TWO tablets TWICE a day,with food for 28 days
months after stopping therapy to protect your
The tablets should be swallowed with water or
some other non-alcoholic drink. You should
Please tell your doctor if you are, or wish to become,
avoid excessive consumption of alcohol during
pregnant. Your doctor can advice you on the best
Drug interactions
Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all
prescribed drugs, non-prescribed drugs, illicit
Write your questions or concerns down to
drugs (recreational), internet, and herbal or
make sure they are addressed.
natural products you are taking. If you wish to
start a new drug or natural product, please
consult with your pharmacist before doing so.
Do NOT take the following medications with Kaletra:
The following pharmacist is available to answer
Pharmacist:Telephone: 0131 536 1606 Other things to consider
PEP will not reduce the risk of Hepatitis C
transmission or other sexually transmitted
unprotected sex instead of effective condom use
or instead of safer injecting practices.
What is PEP ? Calculating the risks of HIV transmission

Possible risks of PEP
PEP is a 28 day course of drug treatment that can
reduce the risk of becoming infected with the HIV
All anti-HIV drugs can cause side effects, but most of
virus after you have been exposed to it. The
these side effects lessen with time. These include
letters PEP stand for ‘post-exposure prophylaxis.
intestinal gas (wind), diarrhoea or loose stools,
nausea, vomiting, headache, weakness or tiredness
(*including cofactors such as viral load, sexually transmitted
The aim is to start PEP treatment within one hour
of HIV exposure. The benefit generally reduces
If you have been exposed to a strain of HIV that is
after 12 hours, but in very high risk cases, there
resistant to some anti-HIV drugs then it’s possible that
Risk that source is HIV positive (%)
may be some benefit in starting PEP up to 72
Where to get PEP
If you are already HIV-positive, but don’t know it, there is a chance of developing drug resistance when you
During working hours, PEP can be obtained at the
take PEP if you don’t take your doses properly. This
Chalmers Sexual Health Centre and out of hours
could limit your treatment options in the future
through A&E departments at the RIE and St Johns
Access to PEP What is an identified HIV transmission
PEP will not be provided to everybody who asks
for it. Decisions are made on a case-by-case
basis. They are likely to consider the following:
• Is your calculated HIV transmission risk
• someone from a country with a high HIV
Was your partner known to be HIV-positive?
Was your partner a gay man / bisexual man?
Was your partner from a country with high
Risk of HIV transmission per exposure (%)
• Did the kind of sex you had involve the other
• Were you passive, receptive, the ‘bottom’, or
• someone from a country with a high HIV
were you active, insertive, the ‘top’?
• Was the sex rough, causing internal trauma
Would you be able to take PEP for 28 days?
Would you be willing and able to return after
• someone from a country with a high HIV